A Vision for the Future: Training Nurses

February 18, 2014

Hosted by Samuel D. Brinkman, Ph.D.

Guest Information

Episode Description

No one has a greater impact on the well-being of residents than the nursing staff. From overseeing medical conditions and solutions to maintaining comfort in an encouraging environment, nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system. This program will discuss how nurses function effectively in various settings and the unique expectations and demands of nursing in an aging population. Discussion will include how the training of nurses is being improved so that staff are better equipped and available to meet this growing challenge. Dr. Pearl Merritt, Regional Dean and Professor of Nursing at TTUHSC, will be the guest on this very informative program.

NeuroMatters: The Brink of Alzheimer’s

Archives Available on VoiceAmerica Health and Wellness Channel

Our program is about Alzheimer’s disease and the many other disorders that can cause dementia. There are over 5 million Americans who currently struggle with Alzheimer’s disease alone, some of whom are in their 40s and 50s. Others struggle with vascular dementia, Lewy body disorder, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and other conditions. This program brings together nationally recognized experts from many professional fields relevant to the dementias in order to provide current information about these disorders. These nationally recognized experts are from areas of research, diagnosis, clinical care, and management, caregiver education and support, medication treatments and drug development research, non-medication approaches to treatment, public education, and advocacy. We will give people who have been affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias a forum to talk with and learn from these experts.

Samuel D. Brinkman, Ph.D.

Dr. Brinkman is a clinical neuropsychologist who has been involved in Alzheimer's disease research and clinical care for over 30 years. Research activities have included issues of diagnosis and treatment. He graduated from the University of Houston in 1980.

Dr. Brinkman has a private practice at Texas Neuropsychology Clinic, LLC in Abilene, Texas. He is on the adjunct faculty of Hardin-Simmons University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, where he teaches a course on neuroscience. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the North Central Texas Chapter of the Alzheimer Association. He was recently co-chair of the National Delegate Assembly of the Alzheimer Association.

Dr. Brinkman is also president of Dementia Screening, Inc. He is the developer of the GrayMatters(r) screening system, a computerized, self-administered assessment procedure which provides information regarding an individual’s memory and executive functioning and likelihood of early dementia.

Dr. Brinkman has been involved in other professional activities, such as reviewing manuscripts submitted for publication to refereed journals, participating as a member of a site visit team for the National Institutes of Health, and contributing to the development of the Texas State Alzheimer Care Plan. He has published research on Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and other neurological conditions.